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Pendle Hill to feature in Hollywood movie? (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Pendle Hill to feature in Hollywood movie?
4:40pm Saturday 20th June 2009
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- By Kate Turner » Reporter
A LOCAL author hopes a Hollywood adaptation of his book could be shot in East Lancashire after Warner Brothers signed the film rights.
Joseph Delaney’s The Spook’s Apprentice is partly based in Pendle, weaving in folklore of Pendle Hill and the witches. Chipping in the Ribble Valley, Blackpool and Preston are also used as inspiration for locations.
Warner Brothers have secured the film rights and appointed director Kevin Lima, acclaimed for his work at Disney, to the project.
Originally famed director Tim Burton was being lined up for the role and he had even contacted Lancashire County Council to find out locations where he could film in Pendle.
Joseph said he would be encouraging Mr Lima to shoot some of the movie in the borough.
The book is the first in Joseph’s Wardstone Chronicles series which tell the story of a 13-year-old boy as he learns about wizardry.
Around two million of the book series have been sold in 24 countries around the world.
Joseph, who lives in Stalmine, Poulton-le-Fylde, said: “Having grown up in Lancashire I have always been interested in its history and the folklore.
“Pendle interested me. It is surrounded in mystery and evokes a sense of darkness and excitement.
“Although I read up about the witches and used them as a basis, I to put my own twist on things.”
Kevin Lima has directed a number of Disney films, including A Goofy Movie, Tarzan and Enchanted.
Joseph said: “Things have seemed to have slowed down with the film, at the moment Kevin Lima is directing it but that may change again.
“I know that when Tim Burton was directing it he had approached Lancashire County Council about good locations to film. It would be fantastic if it was filmed around Pendle and other parts of Lancashire.”
Joseph is doing a book signing in the Colne Bookshop, Market Street, Colne, next Saturday to mark the release of The Spook’s Sacrifice, the sixth in the series.
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Me01, Clayton-Le-Moors says...
5:58pm Sun 21 Jun 09
FILM DEAL: how the Hollywood sign might look on Pendle Hill.
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Davidoff, n/a says...
10:18pm Sat 20 Jun 09
Because if he did, he may find that most of them were more than likely murdered by a very harsh, very sadistic 'religious' based order which held the power back in those days. Rather a long way from the 'romantic' notions people appear to allude where the Pendle Witches are concerned. Still some nice publicity for the books.
Wonder how long it'll be before self proclaimed 'witch' and 'ghost' expert Simon Entwistle gets in on the publicity. *sigh*
Incindentally, the BBC did a documentary drama based around the Pendle Witches in the late 70s ... it caused such a rumpus amongst descendants, locals alike (I ought to know I was born, raised in the Ribble Valley and in the shadow of said hill) it was banned from ever being shown again.
Still, what's another Harry Potter clone amongst all the others nowadays.